heardpaulryansaythat romney will offer the country a clear choice of two different economic futures. is that what romney needs to do wednesday? is that enough? >> well, i think it would be good to just win the debate. that's my advice to governor romney and it's time to begin panicking a little bit. >> time to begin panicking? but don't worry, governor romney has a solution. zingers. the "new york times" reports that mr. romney's team has concluded that debates are about creating moments and has equipped him with a series of zingers that he has memorized and has been practicing since august. zingers? mr. romney doesn't need zingers. he needs new ideas. he needs a new campaign. truth be told, he needs a new candidate. after all, the guy he's been debating all along has been himself on health care. >> i'm not getting rid of all of health care reform. of course, there are a number of things that i like in health care reform. >> well, of course. i'm going to repeal obama care. i've said that on the campaign trail. i think every single day obama care must be repealed in its entirety. >>

't afford to be buried for four more years. and the republican vpnominee,paulryan, weighedin during a rally on this same topic late today in iowa. >> vice president biden just today said that the middle class over the last four years has been, quote, buried. we agree. that means we need romney in denver, colorado. before we get to carl, we want to go to ed henry live with the president in las vegas tonight's. how is the prep going for the big deal tomorrow night? good evening. >> it's been hours of debate prep. it's been intense. they're being very tight lipped about what the president is doing to practice. but he tried to get out today from the resort he's staying at in henderson, nevada. he went to the hoover dam for the first time in his life. maybe get a fresh air or do thinking before tomorrow's first showdown face-to-face with mitt romney. interesting, you mentioned vice president biden was speaking for the president, kind of slipped up by suggesting the middle class has been buried the last four years. so he clarified. >> the middle class was buried by the policies of romney

the truth. >>congressmanpaulryanandvice-president joe biden will face off in their only debate. abc news moderates from danville, ky. you can watch and engage with c- span with our live debate preview starting at 7:00 p.m. eastern, all by the debate at 9:00 p.m. and then your calls and reactions at 10:30 p.m. >> our road to the white house picking up again this morning. president obama is at george mason university. we will have that live when it begins and take your phone call reactions. until then, the conversation about the presidential race from this morning's "washington journal." host: a syndicated columnist and has a new book out. this morning. this is number what? no. 9. host: it is called "mugged: racial demagoguery from the seventies to obama." are going to talk about that. where do you think the presidential race is right now. guest: mitt romney is looking very good peer that is why in the obama administration did not want to run against mitt romney. he was the most threatening of the candidates. it is very hard to take on an incumbent. it has only happened -- republicans

eight or nine or ten months? the american people have heard his story. they have listenedtopaulryanandthey have rejected their approach. they are embracing this president's agenda because he's got us headed in the right direction. things are improving in america and we ought not to just turn around and go back to the same failed policies that brought on this recession in the first place. >> governor strickland it's always a pleasure to speak with you. >> thank you. >> did you ever see the princess bride? last question. we'll never find out the answer to that question, maybe most important. >> go home and watch the princess bride. >> don't do it. >> what do you make of what governor strickland said there? >> the president's cold and confident nature, for some, comes off as overconfident, can come off as condescending. you played that clip with hillary clinton. how does that play when you have power? will it come off as condescending and smug against mitt romney? it's a tricky thing he has to maneuver. >> last thing you're thinking about right now is what's going to be the tone of m